Sighting means for firearms



June 16, 3942. s. N. ALBREE SIGHTING MEANS FOR FIREARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 3, 1941 Q a m .m A m n f navy. em V o N er T .7

June 6, 1942- a. N. ALBREE SIGHTING MEANS FOR FIREARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 3, 1941 a Q d} 'Illllljf'IfI/IIIIIIlII/I will.

InvenToT. ormanAlbree geN "4S 2 Geor "Anya;

Patented June 16, 1942 UNITED OFFHQE 22 Claims.

This invention relates to sighting means and particularly to sighting means for firearms capable of adjustment for elevation and for windage. While a sighting means embodying the invention is capable of being used with firearms of difierent types, it is herein shown as it might be used in connection with shoulder arms. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is by no means limited in its use to shoulder arms.

Shoulder arms are usually provided with a front sight and a rear sight, and it is a common practice to make the rear sight vertically adjustable to provide for proper aiming of the arm at targets situated at difierent distances, it being understood that when shooting at long ranges the rear sight is adjusted to a higher position than when shooting at shorter ranges. It is also a common practice to make the rear sight adjustable laterally for windage.

In prior adjustable rear sights for shoulder arms, the position of the eye piece or ocular (by which is meant that portion of the rear sight through which the gunner sights), relative to the stock of the firearm varies as the rear sight is adjusted. It follows that any vertica1 adjustis so constructed that the eye piece will always have a fixed position relative to the stock of the shoulder arm regardless of any adjustment which may be made in the rear sight.

An advantages of this construction is that it enables the gunner to always cheek his shoulder arm in the same way regardless of any adjustment which he may make in the rear sight.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel sighting means for firearms which is so constructed that the line of sight between the rear sight and the front sight is relatively close to the barrel of the arm, while the eye piece or ocular through which the gunner sights is situated at a proper distance from the firearm to enable the gunner to sight through the eye piece while cheeking the arm comfortably and naturally in a normal way.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sighting means for firearms in which the view that the gunner gets through the eye piece when aiming the firearm is the same as that he would have if his sighting eye was placed within a fraction of an inch of the rear sight. This is especially advantageous when the rear sight is in the form of a peep sight, because it permits the use of a relatively small aperture or peep with its attendant advantages, without unduly restricting the field of vision. It is well understood that a small aperture or peep in a large disk has the property of making objects at different distances appear in good focus and, therefore, if the gunner could place his eye close to-a peep sight having a small aperture, the front sight and the target would both appear in good focus at the same time, thus facilitating proper aiming, With the ordinary peep sight, however, it is neither possible nor practicable for the gunher to place his eye close to the peep sight, and for reasons of safety, a gunner should have his sighting eye not closer than two or three inches from the peep sight. Withmy invention, however, it is possible for the gunner to have his eye at a safe distance from the eye piece and yet reap all the advantages which would accrue if his eye were placed only a fraction of an inch from the aperture in the peep sight.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a sighting means which is so constructed as to give a ready indication to the gunner when the sighting eye of the gunner is properly centered with relation to the sighting aperture. While the human eye has a natural aptitude for centering objects, the unaided eye is not capable of distinguishing differences smaller than approximately of an inch between two objects. .Consequently, while in using a peep sight, the gunner will naturally center his eye approximately with relation to the aperture of the peep sight, slight variations of /100 of an inchor more will not be perceptible to the average person. My improved sighting means is so constructed, however, as to provide means for indicating accurately to the gunner whether his eye is exactly centered with relation to the sighting device, variations as little as A00 of an inch being noticeable. Authorities state that an error of of an inch in centering would cause the bullet to strike well away from the mark at long ranges, an error which would be overcome with my invention.

In order to give an understanding-of my in- Vention, I have illustrated it herein as it might be applied to a shoulderarm of the type referred to above although it will be understood that the use of the gun sight is by no means limited to a shoulder arm of this design.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a shoulder arm of the type in which the breech of the barrel extends considerably to the rear of the normal trigger position and which is equipped with my improved gun sight.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a firearm equipped with my improved gun sight.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the gun sight on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 4.

Figs. 7 and 8 show the rear and front plates of the improved gun sight.

Fig. 9 is an under side view of the knurled head used in adjusting the rear sight vertically.

Fig. 10 is a top plan View of Fig. 5.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through the front sight.

Fig. 12 shows a different form of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a somewhat diagrammatic View illustrating what is seen by the gunner when sighting on the target through my improved sighting device.

Figure 14 is a detailed view in elevation.

In Fig. l, I have shown at i the shoulder arm of the Bullette type having a barrel 2 and stock 3 and in which the breech end 4 of the barrel is situated considerably in the rear of the trigger 5, the latter being located at the usual distance from the butt end 6 of the stock. A should arm of this type is shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 334,147, filed May 9,

The firearm is equipped with front and rear sights. The front sight is shown at 1 and may have any suitable or usual construction, but will preferably be one which can be adjusted transversely, as will presently be described.

The rear sight is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 as a small sighting opening 8 which may be a circular opening and thus is in the form of a peep sight, although the rear sight may be in the form of an open sight without departing from the invention. Such rear sight is part of a sighting device which also includes an eyepiece or ocular, herein shown as an opening 9 having a fixed position relative to the barrel of the gun and through which the gunner sights, such eyepiece or ocular preferably having the correct position for the gunner when he is checking the firearm in a normal way. This sighting device also includes means for reflecting to and through the eyepiece opening 9 an image of the aligned front and rear sights, such means being herein shown as a reflector I having a fixed position relative to the rear peep sight opening 8 and a second reflector H having such relation to the reflector IE3 that the two reflectors cooperate to reflect the image of the aligned front and rear sights to the eyepiece opening 9.

The peep sight opening 8 and the eye piece opening 9 may be provided for in various Ways without departing from the invention. As herein shown, the sighting device comprises a frame or supporting member I2 having two spaced sides l3 and having a cap member Hi secured to the upper ends of these spaced sides I3. The sighting device also includes front and rear plates and it which are secured to the frame I2 in some suitable way as by means of screws H. The rear sight opening 8 is shown as formed in a plate I8 which is secured to a block l9,

situated between the side members i3, said block having vertical ribs 2|, 22 on opposite sides which are received in guiding grooves 23 and 24 with which the side posts I3 are provided.

This block I9 with the rear peep sight opening 8 is adjustable vertically in the space 20 bounded by the side members l3 and the front and rear plates l5 and I6, thereby to raise or lower said rear sight opening 8, and one way in which this may be accomplished is to provide one of the side members !3 with a vertical adjusting screw 25 which operates in a cylindrical recess 26 formed in one of the side arms l3 and to provide the rib 22 with screw-threads 27 which engage the screw threads of the adjusting screw 25. in the circular recess 26 and the upper end of this adjusting screw is provided with a collar 28 which fits in a recess 29 formed on the under side of the cap I4, the upper end 30 of said screw being reduced in diameter and extending through the cap and having a knurled head 3| secured thereto by means of a set screw 32, said head 3! providing means for rotating the adjusting screw 25 and thereby raising and lowering the block I 9 with its rear sight opening 8. The front plate I5 is provided with a slot 33 with which the rear sight opening 8 registers as the block I9 is raised and lowered.

Said block 19 is constructed to support the reflecting surface In while the cap i4 is constructed to support the reflecting surface ll. These reflecting surfaces Ill and H may be provided for in any suitable way, one convenient way being to employ metallic mirrors for this purpose. The vertically adjustable block I9 is shown as recessed at 34 to receive the metallic mirror 35 having the reflecting surface It] and this mirror will be arranged at an angle of 45 to a line connecting the rear sight and the front sight.

The cap member I4 is also shown as recessed at 36 to receive a metallic mirror 3'! which provides the upper reflecting surface I I and the mirror 31 is arranged parallel to the mirror 35 so that the reflecting surfaces Hi and. II are parallel.

The reflecting surface If! therefore will reflect the image of the aligned front and rear sights onto the reflecting surface It and the latter will then reflect such image through the eye piece opening 9 which, as stated above, has a fixed position relative to the gun barrel 2. The rear peep sight opening 8 and the reflector I0 have a fixed position with respect to each other, both being fixedly carried by the adjustable block I2, and consequently any adjustment of the block l2 produces a corresponding adjustment of both the rear peep sight 8 and the reflector Ill. The adjusting screw 25 constitutes means common to both the peep sight 8 and the reflector [0 by which they can be simultaneously or concurrently adjusted.

The rear sight opening 8 is shown in full lines in Figs. 4 and 5 as adjusted to its lowest limit which would be the adjustment for shooting at short ranges. For shooting at longer ranges, the block 9 with its rear sight opening 8 and the reflector 10 will be adjusted vertically by the screw 25, the amount of such adjustment being determined by the range at which the shooting is to take place. The dotted lines in Fig. 4 show the block l9 and the rear sight opening 8 and reflector l0 adjusted for maximum long range shooting. The position of the eye piece open- The screw 25 finds its bearing I ing '9, however, is not affected by any vertical adjustment of the rear sight opening 8 and the reflecting surfaces [8 and 'II Will function to reflect to the eyepiece opening 9 the image of the aligned front and rear sights, regardless of the vertical position into which the block '19 with its rear sight opening 8 and the reflector H] has been adjusted by the adjusting screw 25. In'using agun with my improved sighting device, the gunner thus has the advantage that he can always cheek his shoulder arm in the same way, regardless of any vertical adjustment of the rear sight opening 8 because the eyepiece opening 9 through which the gunner sights has the same position relative to the barrel 2 of the gun in all vertical adjusted positions of the rear sight'opening 8.

For the convenience of the gunner in'adjusting the rear sight opening 8 vertically, I have provided the rear plate l6 with the slot 38 through which the block I9 is visible and have provided said block with an index mark 39 which is visible through the slot,and have also provided the plate IS with graduations 39 along erate with a fixed indication mark 42 on the top of the cap I4 as shown in Figs. 4 and 10.

If desired, the under face of the knurled head 3| may be provided with radial grooves =33 which cooperate with a spring pressed ball A l carried by the cap M to yieldingl'y hold the knurled head 3| in anyadjusted position. As the head 3| is turned, the ball will click from one groove 43 to the next and the movement of these grooves may be so coordinated with the screw threads on the adjusting screw 25 that each click from one groove to another will represent a known angular variation between the axial line of the gun barrel and a line connecting the front sight and rear sight.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 'l indicates the eye of the gunner while sighting the gun and the dotted line b indicates the line of vision when the rear sight is adjusted for short range shooting. When the shoulder arm'is sighted on the target, the image of the aligned target and'front sight "I which is seen through the rear sight opening 8 is reflected by the reflecting surfaces l and I 1 through the eye piece opening 9 to the sighting eye 47 of the gunner. The dot-anddash line 0 indicates the line of vision when the block [9 with its rear sight aperture 8 and reflecting surface 19 has been adjusted upwardly into the upper dotted line position in Fig. 2 for shooting at a long range.

Attention is again called to the fact that the eye piece aperture 9 remains in the same position relative to the firearm in all adjusted positions of the rear sight aperture 8 so that the gunner is enabled always to cheek his firearm in the same identical manner, regardless of any adjustment which may be made in the sighting means for shooting at different ranges. It will be observed that the reflecting surface H! is situated very close to the rear sight aperture 3. In fact the distance between said reflecting surface It! and the rear sighting aperture is only a fraction of an inch. Inusing my improved sighting device, the gunner sees through the sighting aperture 9 a correct image of what would be seen if the gunner had his eye in the position of the reflecting surface I 0 which is only a fraction of an inch from the rear sight ing opening 8.

My invention, therefore, produces the same effect as would be obtained if the gunner were able to place his eye within a fraction of an inch of the rear sight. It is, however, not only physically impossible for a gunner to place his sighting eye as close to the rear sight opening as the reflecting surface 10 can be placed, but for safetys sake it is necessary that the gunner should maintain his sighting eye at least two inches from the rear sight in order "to prevent injury due to recoil of the gun,

When a person looks through a small aperture in a large disk by placing his eye close to the aperture, objects at different distances appear in good focus. Therefore, if the gunner could place his eye in the position of the reflecting surface 10, the aligned front sight and the target would both appear to be in good focus, thus making it easy to properly aim the firearm. Since an image of what would appear to the gunner if his eye were placed in the position of the reflecting surface I0 is produced at the sight opening 9, it follows that when the gunner sights through said sight opening 9, he will find the front sight and the target, when brought into alignment with each other, both in good focus, a condition which is conducive to accurate aiming.

Another aid to accurate aiming which is inherent in my improved sighting device is a sort of halo which the gunner sees around the peep sight opening 8 when sighting through the sighting aperture 9. The plate I8 which is carried by the block l9 and which has the rear sighting aperture 9 therein is extended above the block and overlaps and closes the slot 33. A similar plate 19 is secured to the opposite side of the block [9 and is situated to close the portion of the slot 38 above said block. The space 20 between the reflecting surfaces l8 and II is preferably made square in cross section and has closed sides, said space constituting in effect a square tubular passage. When the gunner sights through the opening 9, he will see the rear sight aperture 8 and also around the latter there will be four partially lighted spots caused by the reflection of light from the four sides of the passage 29. This is illustrated in Fig. 13 wherein the circle 8 indicates the rear sight opening, I indicates the front sight, and indicates the target at which the gunner is aiming. When the gun is properly aimed, the target 80 will appear in the center of the opening 8 and the bullseye of the target will appear as resting on the top of the front sight I. The target 88, the front sight 1 and the rear peep sight opening 8 are clearly seen by the gunner and if the gun is properly aimed and the gunners eye is properly centered with relation to the sighting opening 9, there will appear four slightly illuminated zones or lobes indicated at 8! surrounding the opening 8, each luminous zone 81 being produced by refiection of light from one of the sides of the square passage 20. If the sighting eye of the gunner is properly sighted with relation'to'the aperture 9, these luminous'zones 8| will'all'appear to be of the same size. IL-however, the

sighting eye is above the center of the opening 9, then the luminous zone 8I above the opening 8 will have a reduced size as shown by the dotted lines 82 in Fig. 13, while the luminous zone below the aperture 8 will appear enlarged or elongated as shown by the dotted lines 83 in Fig. 13. Similarly, if the sighting eye is at one side or the other from its correct central position, one of the lateral luminous zones BI will appear larger than the other. In using the gun, therefore, the gunner will not only aim so as to align the target, the front sight, and the rear peep sight opening 8, but will also hold the gun so that the four luminous zones 8| will all appear of the same size. These luminous zones 8| constitute what is called for convenience a halo. The presence of this halo is thus an important help in accurately aiming the firearm because when the gunner sees that the halo is symmetrical around the opening 8, he knows that his sighting eye is properly centered so that there will be no error in aiming when he observes that the target, the front sight, and the peep sight opening 8 are all in alignment as shown in Fig. 13.

Instead of using a rear sight in the form of an aperture 8, it is possible to use a rear sight similar to an ordinary open sight. This would produce an open sight in the form of a notch formed in a straight edge. Th only difference between the use of a rear sight in the form of an open sight instead of a peep sight would be that instead of seeing a round opening 8, the gunner would see a straight line with a sighting notch. The rear sighting device may be mounted on the barrel 2 of the gun in any suitable or appropriate way. I have herein shown said sighting device as pivotally supported on the gun so that it can be folded down against the barrel when it is not in use as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2. The frame I2 of the rear sighting device is pivotally connected at 48 to a base or mounting member 49 which in turn is attached to the barrel 2 by means of attaching screws 50. This mounting base 49 is shown as having a concave under face, the concavity of which is on a slightly smaller radius than that on the exterior of the gun barrel 2 so that said base will have contact with the gun barrel along the two edges I only as shown in Fig. 3. The base 49 is provided with a spring 52 which yieldingly holds the frame I2 either in its operative upright position or in its inoperative folded position shown in dotted lines Fig. 2. The frame I2 is formed with the two spring engaging surfaces 53 and 54 at right angles to each other. The face 53 engages the spring 52 when the frame I2 is in the upright position and the face 54 engages said spring when the frame I2 is in its folded position. When the frame I2 is swung from its upright to its folded position, or vice versa, the corner 55 will cause the spring 52 to flex somewhat and as the frame passes its central position, said spring will exert a force on the frame tending to complete its movement, said spring cooperating with either one or the other of the flat surfaces 53 or 54 to yieldingly hold the frame in either its operative position or its folded position.

The pivotal connection of the frame I2 with the mounting member 49 is such that said frame can only swing forwardly from its upright position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the engagement of the lower end of the frame I2 with the mounting member 49 preventing any backward swinging movement of the frame beyond its upright position shown in Fig. 4.

The vertical adjustment of the rear sight opening 8 provides for adjusting the sighting device for different ranges. The sighting device may be adjusted to compensate for windage and/or drift by providing means for adjusting either the front sight or the rear sight transversely. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, this compensation for windage and/or drift is accomplished by adjusting the front sight 'I laterally and such adjustment may be provided for in any appropriate way without departing from the invention. In the construction herein shown, the front sight I is carried by a base 56 which is slidable transversely in a dovetail slot 51 formed in the upper side of the barrel 2. The sight is adjusted transversely by means of an adjusting screw 58 which operates in a recess 59 with which the base 56 is provided and which has a screwthreaded portion 60 at one end which extends through and has screw-threaded engagement with the portion 6| of the base 56. This adjusting screw is held from movement transversely of the barrel so that when the screw is turned, the base 56 of the front sight will be shifted transversely. As herein shown, the screw has a collar 62 thereon which operates in a groove 68 formed in the barrel and the head of the screw is provided with a screw-driver slot 64 by which the screw can be turned. The front sight may have the usual graduation marks 65 thereon which cooperate with an indication mark on the barrel to assist the gunner in properly adjusting the front sight.

For absolutely accurate sighting, it is desirable that the reflecting surface I0 should always be maintained at 45 to the line extending from the center of the peep sight opening 8, across the front sight to the target, and in Fig. 12, I have illustrated a construction by which the frame I2 is turned slightly above its pivot 48 as the block I9 with its rear sight opening 8 is raised and lowered so as to always maintain the 45 relation between the line of sight extending from the front sight to the rear sight opening and the reflecting surface II]. This is accomplished in Fig. 12 by providing the base 49 with a cam member 66 having a cam surface 61 which deviates slightly from a surface extending at right angles to the axis of the barrel 2. The block I9 carrying the reflecting surface I0 is provided with an extension 68 which extends through a slot in the rear plate I6 and engages the cam surface 61.

As the block I9 is adjusted upwardly from the full line position in Fig. 12 to the dotted line position for the purpose of adjusting said sight for longer range shooting, the engagement of the extension 68 with the cam surface 61 will cause the frame I2 to swing forwardly slightly about its pivot 48 as shown in dotted lines Fig. 12, such forward swinging movement being such that in all adjusted positions of the block I 9, the reflecting surface I0 will stand at 45 to the line of vision extending from the rear sight opening to the front sight, such line of vision being indicated by the dotted line b when the block I9 is in its lowered position and by the dotted line c when the said block I9 is in its raised dotted line position, Fig. 12.

This construction provides for accurate aiming of the firearm regardless of the length of the sighting radius between the rear sight and the front sight. In fact, it provides a sighting device by which the gun can be accurately aimed even without a front sight, especially if the peep sight or rear sight is provided with cross hairs or the equivalent. Such cross hairs might be considered as the equivalentof the front sight moved into the plane of the'rear sight.

As' stated above, when the block 19 with its rear peep sight opening 8, and the reflecting surface I is adjusted properly for any range, the cam 61 serves to maintain a position of the frame l2 in which the reflecting surface ill will always have an angle of 45 with the line of vision between the rear sight and the target'and therefore, if the block I9 is properly adjusted for elevation, the gun will be 'accuratelyaimed when the ta get or markand the crossing point of the cross hairs are 'seen'to be in'alignment by the person sighting through the sighting opening 9.

1. The combination with a firearm, of a front sight thereon; 'a rear sight, means for adjusting the rear "sight vertically, mean providing a sighting opening, means mounting said lastnamed means 'on the stock of the firearm with thesighting opening above the rear sight in a fixed position relative to the stock, which is the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in'a normal Way and means operative in all adjusted positions of the rear sight and without any further adjustment than that of said rear sight to reflect to the sighting opening 'a'nimage of the aligned front and rear sights.

Z. The combination with a firearm, of a front sight thereon, a'rear'si'ght, means for adjusting the rear sight vertically, means providin a sighting opening, means supporting said sighting opening on the firearm above the rear sight in a fixed position relative thereto which is the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal way, and means to refleet to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights.

3f.'The combination with a firearm, of a front sight thereon, arear sight, means to adjust the rear sight for different shooting ranges, means mounted on the firearm providing'a sighting opening having a fixed position relative thereto which is the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in'a'normal way, a reflector having and supporting said sighting opening on the firearm above the rear sight in a fixedposition with relation to the rear sight and adjustable concurrently therewith,a'nd a second reflector associated with the sighting opening, said reflectors being arranged to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights.

i. The combination with a firearm, of sighting means therefor, comprising a front sight, a frame member mounted on the firearm, an adjustable rear sight carried by said frame member, means to adjust the rear sight toward and from the firearm, said frame being'provided with a sighting opening above the rear sight and having a fixed position relative to the firearm, and means carried by said frame and includin a reflector having a fixed relation to and adjustable concurrently with the rear sight to reflect to the sighting opening an image'of the aligned front and rear sights.

5. The combination with a firearm, of sighting means therefor, comprising a front sight, a, frame member mounted on the firearm, an adjustable rear sight carried by said frame member, means to'adjust the rear sight toward and from the firearm, said frame being provided with a sighting opening above the rear sight and having a fixed position relative to the firearm which is the correct position for the gunner when he is' cheeking the firearm in a normal way, and means o perative in all adjusted positions of the rear sight and including a reflector adjustable concurrently therewith to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights.

6. The combination with a firearm, of a sighting means therefor, comprising a front sight, a frame member mounted on the firearm, an ad just-able rear sight carried 'by the frame, means to adjust the rear sight toward and'from the firearm, said frame being provided with a sighting opening'above the rear sight and havinga fixed position relative to the firearm, a reflector having a fixed position relative to the rear sight and adjustable concurrently therewith, and a second reflector having a fixed position relative to the sighting opening, said reflectors being arranged to reflect to' the sighting'opening an image of the aligned rear and front sights in all adjusted positions of the rear sight. K a

7."A combination with a firearm, of a sighting means therefor, comprising a front sight, a frame member mounted on the firearm, a' block carried by said frame member and adjustable thereon toward'and from the firearm, a rear sight carried by said block, said frame being provided with a sighting opening above the rear sight and having a fixed position relative to the firearm, a reflector carried by said block and adjustable concurrently therewithj-and a second reflector carried by the frame adjacent the sighting opening, said reflectors being arranged'to reflect" to the sighting opening'an image of the aligned front'and rear sights:

8. The combination with a firearm, of a front sight thereon, a rear sight, means to adjust the rear sight vertically for shooting at different ranges, means providing a sighting opening above the rear sight and having a fixed position relative to'the firearm which is the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal way, means operative in all adjusted positions of the rear sight and without any other adjustment than that of the'rear sight to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights, one of said sights being adjustable laterally for 'windage, and means to adjust said laterally adjustable sight.

9. The combination with a firearm, of a sighting means therefor, comprising a front sight, a frame member mounted on the firearm, a rear peep sight adjustably carried by the frame mem-' ber, means to adjust the rear peep sight for shooting at different ranges, said frame member being provided with a sighting opening above the rear sight and having a position fixed relative to the firearm which is thecorrect position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal Way, and reflectors carried by'the frame for reflecting to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights, said frame presenting a flat-sided passage of greater tra'ns verse dimension than the peep sight opening through which said image is reflected, whereby the image of the rear peep sight opening which is seen through the sighting opening is surrounded by a halo formed by light reflected from the sides'of said passage.

10. The combination with a firearm, of a front sight thereon, an adjustable rear sight also mounted thereon, means to adjust the rear sight,

an ocular situated above a line connecting the front sight and rear sight and means operative in all adjusted positions of the rear sight and including a mirror adjustable concurrently with the rear sight to reflect to the {ocular an image of the aligned front and rear sights.

11. The combination with a firearm, of a front sight thereon, an adjustable rear sight also mounted thereon, means to adjust said rear sight, an ocular having a fixed position'relative to the firearm and situated above a line connecting the front and rear sights, a reflector having a fixed position relative to the rear sight and adjustable concurrently therewith, a second reflector associated with the ocular and cooperating with the first-named reflector to reflect to the ocular an image of the aligned front and rear sights.

12. Sighting means for firearms comprising two sighting elements, means for adjusting one of said elements for elevation, means providing a sighting opening located at a'fixed distance from the firearm above the adjustable sighting element, a mirror associated with the adjustable sighting element and adjustable concurrently therewith, and a second mirror associated with the sighting opening, said mirrors being arranged iio reflect to'the sighting opening an image of the aligned sighting elements.

13. Sighting means for firearms comprising a sighting element, means for adjusting said elements for elevation, means providing a sighting opening located at a fixed distance from the firearm above said sighting opening and in the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal Way, and means operative in all adjusted positions of the sighting element and without any further adjustment than that of said sighting element to reflect to the sighting opening an image of said sighting element.

14. Sighting means for firearms comprising a front sight, a rear sight, means for adjusting oneof said sights for elevation, means providing a sighting opening located at a fixed distance from the firearm above the rear sight and A is checking the firearm in a normal way, and

means operative in all adjusted positions of the adjustable sightand without any further adjustment than that of said adjustable sight to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned sights.

15. Sighting means for firearms comprising a front sight, a'rear sight, one of said sights being adjustable for elevation, means providing a sighting opening spaced above the rear sight and having the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal way, a mirror associated with and having a fixed position relative to the rear sight, a second mirror associated with the sighting opening, said mirrors being arranged to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights, and means operative in all adjusted positions of the adjustable sight and without any further adjustment than that of the adjustable sight to maintain the mirror associated With the rear sight at the same fixed angle to a line connecting said front and rear sights.

16. Sighting means for firearms comprising a front sight, rear sight, means for adjusting the rear sight for elevation, means providing a sighting opening located above the rear sight at a fixed distance from the firearm and in the C l?- rect position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal way, a mirror associated with the rear sight and adjustable concurrently therewith, a second mirror associated with the sighting opening, said mirrors being arranged to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and. rear sights, and means operative in all adjusted positions of the rear sight to maintain the mirror associated therewith at the same fixed angle to a line connecting the front and rear sights.

1'7. Sighting means comprising a member presenting an elongated passage, said member having a peep sight at one end of the passage provided with a peep opening of considerably lesser diameter than that of the passage and a sighting opening above and at the other end of the passage, the inner faces of the walls of said passage having light-reflecting characteristics whereby the peep sight opening as seen through the sighting opening will be surrounded by a slightly luminous zone in the form of a halo.

18. Sighting means comprising a member presenting an elongated passage, square in cross section, said member having a sighting opening at the upper end of the passage, and a peep sight at the other end of the passage provided with a peep sight opening of considerably lesser diameter than that of the passage, the fiat walls of said passage having light-reflecting characteristics whereby the peep sight opening as viewed through the sighting opening will be surrounded by four luminous zones in the form of a halo.

19. Sighting means for firearms .comprising a sighting element, means for adjusting said sighting element for elevation, means providing a sighting opening located above the aforesaid sighting element at a fixed distance from the firearm and in the correct position for the gunner when he is checking the firearm in a normal way, a mirror associated with said sighting element and adjustable concurrently therewith, a

second mirror associated with the sighting opening, said mirrors being arranged to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the sighting element, and means operative in all adjusted positions of the sighting element to maintain the mirror associated therewith at the same fixed angle to a line extending from the sighting element to the target.

20. The combination with a firearm, of an adjustable sight mounted thereon, means providing a sighting opening above said adjustable sight, a reflector having a fixed position with reference to said sight and adjustable therewith, and means cooperating with said reflector to reflect an image of the sight to the sighting opening.

21. The combination with a firearm, of an adjustable peep sight mounted thereon, means providing a sighting opening above said peep sight, a reflector having a fixed position with reference to said peep sight, means common to said peep sight and said reflector to adjust them simultaneously relative to the firearm, and means cooperating with said reflector to reflect an image of the peep sight to the sighting opening.

22. The combination with a firearm having a trigger, of sighting means therefor comprising a front sight, a frame member mounted on the upper side of the firearm forward of the butt, an adjustable rear sight carried by said frame member, means to adjust the rear sight toward and from the stock of the firearm, said frame member being provided with a sighting opening having a fixed nonadjustable position relative to the firearm and which is the correct position for the gunner when he is cheeking the firearm in a normal way, and means operative in all adjusted positions of the rear sight and including a reflector having a fixed position relative to the rear sight and adjustable therewith to reflect to the sighting opening an image of the aligned front and rear sights, whereby the vertical adjustment of the rear sight for difierent ranges does not change the position of the sighting opening, thereby permitting the gunner to always cheek the firearm in exactly the same way regardless of any adjustment of the rear sight.

GEORGE NORMAN ALBREE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,2 6,705. Jun'el, 19L 2.

' GEORGE NORMAN ALBREE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as fo .Llows; Page 5, first column, line bli, claim5, for the word "having" read -and supporting said sighting opening on the firearm above the rear sightin-; lines 11,? and 1.1.8, same claim, strike out "and supporting said sighting opening on the firearm above the rear sight in" and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the I record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of July, A. D. 19112.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

p CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,2 6,705. June-16, 19m.

GEORGE NORMAN ALBREE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows Page 5, first column, line hli, claimE, for the word "having" read --and supporting said sighting opening on the firearm above the rear sight in-; lines 1+7 and 11.8, same claim, strike out "and supporting said sighting opening on the firearm above the rear sight in"; and that the said Letters Patent "should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to'the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of July, A. D. 1912.

Henry Van Arsdale, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

